Gang members in 'savage' jail attack

THREE prison officers were admitted to hospital yesterday after a violent disturbance involving members of one of Limerick's feuding gangs.

A female officer at the midland's prison escaped serious injury but one of two badly assaulted male colleagues suffered a suspected broken nose. Prison sources described the assaults as "savage".

The officers were admitted to Portlaoise General Hospital after being kicked, punched and head-butted. The attack was one of two serious incidents in prisons yesterday.

It also emerged that two officers at Cork Prison were sprayed with blood.

Meanwhile, prison sources in Portlaoise confirmed that Anthony McCarthy, one of five Limerick men convicted of murdering rival crime boss Kieran Keane, was involved in the vicious attack.

McCarthy, along with a second Limerick criminal, was confined to isolation cells last night after the assaults on D wing.

A third person, believed to be Michael Stanners who was jailed last year for a petrol bomb attack on a family home, was also questioned by prison authorities after the attack.

He denied any involvement, sources said. His brother David was among the five-member gang convicted for Keane's murder. The incident on the D2 landing occurred after 4pm. The officer who was head-butted suffered a broken nose.

Last night, the Prison Officers Association (POA) demanded a security review at the prison. A POA spokesman Nigel Mallen said the association was appalled at the viciousness of the attack.

"It's the latest in a series of disturbing incidents and comes hot on the heels of other serious attacks in Cork and Limerick prisons," he said.

Mr Mallen said serious assaults on prison officers had increased by 63% in the last four years.

He said the POA would be highlighting to the management of the Irish Prison service the duty of care it owed to its employees.

The Prison Service is conducting an investigation into the Portlaoise assaults. Meanwhile, plans are underway to build a high-security jail block in Portlaoise to deal with feuding inmates, including the Limerick gangs.